For Liverpool, a 1-0 victory would have been enough, but Napoli with only a draw could have secured a round of 16 spot.

Lets look at the 3 major talking points from Matchday 6 of the UEFA Champions League Group C matches.

#1 Salah’s brilliant strike enough for Liverpool to progress into round of 16

Group C was truly the group of death in the Champions League, with last season’s runners up Liverpool, Serie A runners up Napoli, and French champions PSG all locking horns with one another to progress into the knockout rounds.

The Reds went ahead in the first half through a brilliant goal from Salah at a tight angle. With this goal, Liverpool had done enough as they clung on to the lead till the end. Jurgen Klopp’s side will now join Paris Saint-Germain as the runners up in Group C, while Napoli identical on points with Liverpool, looks to return to winning ways in the Europa League.

Salah’s 14th Champions League goal for Liverpool means he is only behind legend Steven Gerrard, but he was not the only saviour for Liverpool, Alisson Becker who pulled out a splendid save from Arkadiusz Milik in stoppage time was worth the £65 million paid to Roma in the summer.

Liverpool would be out of the competition had Alisson not made the fantastic save.

Van Dijk echoed his manager’s words:

#2 Cavani and Neymar scored in Belgrade to ensure top spot for PSG

Paris Saint-Germain reached the Champions League round of 16 as winners of Group C following a clinical 4-1 victory away against a very strong Red Star Belgrade side.

Neither of Napoli and Liverpool had previously managed to win away at Belgrade. But Thomas Tuchel’s side inspired brilliance and courage throughout the match as first-half goals from Edinson Cavani and Neymar, a second-half header from Marquinhos, and a late Kylian Mbappe strike were enough to send PSG into the last 16.

This PSG side is different from last season’s, as they have improved since their first showing away at Anfield in a 3-2 loss on Matchday 1. Since their defeat to Liverpool, PSG have managed to draw twice against Napoli, defeated Red Star Belgrade twice, and won against Liverpool in the reverse fixture in Paris.

Young prodigy Kylian Mbappe said:

Captain Thiago Silva was relieved at reaching the round of 16.

#3 Napoli plunged to Europa League as Carlo Ancelotti’s 18-year-old record ends

As Liverpool progressed to the round of 16, Napoli was only left to bemoan their loss at Anfield. The Serie A side finished third in Group C after falling to a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday.

Ancelotti’s men had almost achieved the impossible, as they had not lost a single Champions League fixture this season, and needed only a draw to progress into the last 16. But a first-half Salah strike and a stoppage-time save from Alisson denied the men from Naples.

With the Champions League out of the way, Ancelotti and Napoli will shift their focus to the Europa league.

Star defender Kalidou Koulibaly seemed to echo his manager’s sentiments:

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